Subaru R160 OPEN diff stub axle .? what works

Engine, Transmission and related drivetrain.
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cartel
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Subaru R160 OPEN diff stub axle .? what works

Post by cartel »

all the posts ive seen are related to the use of the 2 types of lsd diffs in the subie-- r160s --

i was considering a 2000's legacy r160 diff as 4.44 are the stock ratio- yes posi would be nice but rather have open 4.44 than open 3.90.. till i can find a csld one.

will the stock datsun stub axles work and have to cannabilize a datsun 160 to get the stub axle retainer nuts from?

most of the posts i found were related to using 240z r180 stubs/ custom - or cutting seal ring off but no one used the cheap open diff?
Mike Gibson
Datsun: 71 dime; 73 Z ; GT3 240
Other: 65 + 67 Mustang ; 03 murcie
yenpit
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Re: Subaru R160 OPEN diff stub axle .? what works

Post by yenpit »

We vintage race 240Z's with R180's (we think R200's are overkill for road racing, as we have NEVER damaged/blown up an R180, so again, we are comfortable running the R180's. R200's are great for high horsepower straight line launches etc). We are often looking for different ratio's like you, although we usually remain in the 3.??'s, not often in the 4.??'s, cuz we are running more top end than "off the line". The early Datsun/Nissan R180's have the bolt in axles, so those are easy. I have found that the later Datsun/Nissan "K" marked R180's use a snap ring stub axle (ie RWD Maxima), HOWEVER yes, you can install the quarter size threaded collar out of the earlier R160/R180's, for the earlier long stub axle bolt, into the later Datsun/Nissan snap ring carrier. You will need to dismantle the carrier & spider gears to install, but you should NOT be screwing with the R&P lash, unless you are replacing all of the bearings etc. So the quarter size threaded collar DOES fit the later Datsun/Nissan "K" marked R180 diffs.

That said, we have never used the later Subbie/STi diffs after around 1989, that have the snap ring stub axles, so I do NOT know if the carrier/spider gear set up is the same tooling as the earlier Datsun/Nissan, thus I do not know if you can install the earlier threaded collars, so you can use the earlier bolt in stub axles. I would LOVE to know this before buying one, so hopefully someone else has the answer!!

PS the quarter size threaded collars are in all of the R160 & earlier R180's & are the same part, so if you blow one up, pull those collars out to sell to someone to convert to the bolt in! We have always had enough old diffs around (we HAVE blown up a few R160's in a twin cam turbo 510!) to steal the collars out of, but that will change as we build more vintage race Z's & there are less & less available diffs! If anybody has a couple of these collars, I would buy, if cartel does not need them!

TJ
1973 510 2dr
1972 521 flat bed
1972 510 Wagon parts car
2009 Toyota Matrix S AWD

LOTS of 510 parts!
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cartel
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Re: Subaru R160 OPEN diff stub axle .? what works

Post by cartel »

ive got one diff local thats a howler to gut for the parts-- a perfect 3.90 stock 510 diff seems to be only worth 100-150 here , and i have a perfect one so i dont want to ruin it for those 2 nuts--
Mike Gibson
Datsun: 71 dime; 73 Z ; GT3 240
Other: 65 + 67 Mustang ; 03 murcie
yenpit
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Joined: 07 Jul 2006 20:14
Location: Denver Colorado

Re: Subaru R160 OPEN diff stub axle .? what works

Post by yenpit »

That's about all I get for a good R160.

So you do need a pair of the threaded collars for the stub axle bolts? I do NOT need any right now, so I will poke around for some for you!

Do you know that the 2000's Subbie carrier will accept the threaded collars?

We have an 85 720 4WD in a local self service yard, which might have a 4.37 in it, based on an R180 availability chart that I have. I have never pulled a front diff out of a 4WD truck, but it looks relatively straight forward. Problem right now is we have had a lot of snow in the last 10-14 days, so I'm NOT very motivated to crawl around under it to pull it!! This diff is considered a later Datsun/Nissan diff with the snap ring CV stub axles, likely has the cast "K" on the top, but it SHOULD be a good diff to install the threaded collars in..............they WILL fit.
1973 510 2dr
1972 521 flat bed
1972 510 Wagon parts car
2009 Toyota Matrix S AWD

LOTS of 510 parts!
iceman510
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Joined: 27 Jul 2015 19:05
Location: Howell, MI

Re: Subaru R160 OPEN diff stub axle .? what works

Post by iceman510 »

Hey Mike, I have a couple R160 4.44 VLSD units here if interested. I also have the Subaru inner CV axle stubs to go with them. These would need to be modified to fit the stock axles if that is the plan (there is a thread on the Realm where Bart showed how he did this back in 2012).

Of course, Fritz also offers these shafts to fit the Subaru units through his website.

Not sure the stock stub shafts are long enough to work. They might be if not needing to be held in by the c-clips and using the threaded internal nuts (which as Yenpit mentions-I am not myself sure they fit in the Subaru carriers).

Those little threaded washer should be easy to replicate by any machinist if someone gets interested to do this.
iceman510
Posts: 495
Joined: 27 Jul 2015 19:05
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Re: Subaru R160 OPEN diff stub axle .? what works

Post by iceman510 »

yenpit wrote: 11 Feb 2020 09:27 We have an 85 720 4WD in a local self service yard, which might have a 4.37 in it, based on an R180 availability chart that I have. I have never pulled a front diff out of a 4WD truck, but it looks relatively straight forward. Problem right now is we have had a lot of snow in the last 10-14 days, so I'm NOT very motivated to crawl around under it to pull it!! This diff is considered a later Datsun/Nissan diff with the snap ring CV stub axles, likely has the cast "K" on the top, but it SHOULD be a good diff to install the threaded collars in..............they WILL fit.
These will work if you can find them. And all the wear is on the opposite side of the gear. :D

I acquired one of these with the 4.38 years ago and modified it with the threaded collars. It does have the clip-in stub axles.
yenpit
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Joined: 07 Jul 2006 20:14
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Re: Subaru R160 OPEN diff stub axle .? what works

Post by yenpit »

iceman510 wrote: 11 Feb 2020 09:39
yenpit wrote: 11 Feb 2020 09:27 We have an 85 720 4WD in a local self service yard, which might have a 4.37 in it, based on an R180 availability chart that I have. I have never pulled a front diff out of a 4WD truck, but it looks relatively straight forward. Problem right now is we have had a lot of snow in the last 10-14 days, so I'm NOT very motivated to crawl around under it to pull it!! This diff is considered a later Datsun/Nissan diff with the snap ring CV stub axles, likely has the cast "K" on the top, but it SHOULD be a good diff to install the threaded collars in..............they WILL fit.
These will work if you can find them. And all the wear is on the opposite side of the gear. :D

I acquired one of these with the 4.38 years ago and modified it with the threaded collars. It does have the clip-in stub axles.
There was a rumor that a guy made the threaded collars years ago, but never heard details! We have thought about having some made, as we have the resources, but the cost might not justify it!

The early R180 diff with the bolt in stub axles requires the R180 stub axles, as the dust shield is different that the R160/510 stub axles. I have never tried to modify an R160 stub axle to fit the R180 or vice versa......?? The stub axles bottom out ON the threaded coller & the bolts tighten down......they do NOT "float", so stub axle length/size does matter!
1973 510 2dr
1972 521 flat bed
1972 510 Wagon parts car
2009 Toyota Matrix S AWD

LOTS of 510 parts!
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cartel
Posts: 486
Joined: 24 Sep 2015 23:32
Location: Langley

Re: Subaru R160 OPEN diff stub axle .? what works

Post by cartel »

well im getting a legacy diff r160 tomorrow and will take the howler apart and cannabilize it for the 2 nuts-- then see if they 510 stubs fit... if i have to remove the dust shields i will -i have no issue with running without those on at all.

i have a set of fritz's reg cv here new in box-- ill probably just order the subie ones if those work on a NON lsd and sell these as already here
Mike Gibson
Datsun: 71 dime; 73 Z ; GT3 240
Other: 65 + 67 Mustang ; 03 murcie
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cartel
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Joined: 24 Sep 2015 23:32
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Re: Subaru R160 OPEN diff stub axle .? what works

Post by cartel »

to update-- the 510 diff that donated all the parts- the inner nuts fit the subie- the axles fit- the front input flange was wider on both subie R160 and R180 that i had here than the corresponding nissan ones.
the 510s need a small flange to fit thru the rear crossmember- what i did notice is that there are 2 different flange sizes for the bearing seal-

the splines are the same on both 160 and 180 so the flanges themselves interchange- the seal on said flanges i cut the spot welds off that part as had to use the subie seal ring on the nissan input flange. this was the same on both diffs that i did.

after all that and looking thru the shop i found 2 more diffs that werent repairable- had rusted bolts in the housing so i parted those out-- i now have 2 extra sets of the internal nuts if someone needs them to convert a clip in to bolt in stubs-
(no extra stub axles )
Mike Gibson
Datsun: 71 dime; 73 Z ; GT3 240
Other: 65 + 67 Mustang ; 03 murcie
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